QOTD: What's the Best Infiniti Ever?

by Corey Lewis

Published: August 29th, 2022

There have been some rumblings around the TTAC virtual newsroom lately about Infiniti, and consideration of the company’s best-ever product. The best of their product is certainly not found in their present lineup, which I took time to lambast in late 2020. We bring this question to you today, dear readers: What’s the best car Infiniti ever made?

No doubt many of you will expect me to heap praise on the M45 pictured above. While that sporty hardtop sedan was an interesting offering (JDM product lightly edited for America), I don’t think it was their best work. In a first-ever for a QOTD I’ve asked, I’m not going to give you my answer right away.

I feel strongly enough about said answer that it’s going to be a separate, full-length post. Look for that soon (tomorrow), in a new type of post I’ve titled The QOTD Answer.

[Images: Infiniti]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.

#Ttac #NewsBlog #QOTD #QuestionOfTheDay #Infiniti #Nissan

Corey Lewis

Interested in lots of cars and their various historical contexts. Started writing articles for TTAC in late 2016, when my first posts were QOTDs. From there I started a few new series like Rare Rides, Buy/Drive/Burn, Abandoned History, and most recently Rare Rides Icons. Operating from a home base in Cincinnati, Ohio, a relative auto journalist dead zone. Many of my articles are prompted by something I'll see on social media that sparks my interest and causes me to research. Finding articles and information from the early days of the internet and beyond that covers the little details lost to time: trim packages, color and wheel choices, interior fabrics. Beyond those, I'm fascinated by automotive industry experiments, both failures and successes. Lately I've taken an interest in AI, and generating "what if" type images for car models long dead. Reincarnating a modern Toyota Paseo, Lincoln Mark IX, or Isuzu Trooper through a text prompt is fun. Fun to post them on Twitter too, and watch people overreact. To that end, the social media I use most is Twitter, @CoreyLewis86. I also contribute pieces for Forbes Wheels and Forbes Home.

More by Corey Lewis

Comments

Join the conversation

3 of 41 comments

Marty S on Aug 29, 2022

I thought that the original G35 was a great looking car. My daughter had one with a nice wing on the rear. Great engine sound. Interior was OK and OK to drive as I recall. A step up from the 350Z at the time.

1 Reply
- JMII on Aug 30, 2022
  
  My wife's intrest in the early G35 is what got to me to buy a 350Z since we didn't need the back seat and I am fond of hatchbacks. Years later we got a Q60 (that odd year the G37's badge changed) which was a much more refined Z and a great driver's car. Basically the G37 is a cheaper and more reliable 3 series BMW before they became a bloated mess. Infiniti never made an "M3" ...the Q60 Red Sport is as close as they got.
  
  Like
Smicallef427 on Aug 30, 2022

J30! I loved this as a kid. Hell, I still love it today. It was one of the first cars I remember seeing projector headlamps and they were gorgeous!

Like Reply

Recent Comments

MRF 95 T-Bird Whenever I travel and I’m in my rental car I first peruse the FM radio to look for interesting programming. It used to be before the past few decades of media consolidation that if you traveled to an area the local radio stations had a distinct sound and flavor. Now it’s the homogenized stuff from the corporate behemoths. Classic rock, modern “bro dude” country, pop hits of today, oldies etc. Much of it tolerable but pedestrian. The college radio stations and NPR affiliates are comfortable standbys. But what struck me recently is how much more religious programming there was on the FM stations, stuff that used to be relegated to the AM band. You have the fire and brimstone preachers, obviously with a far right political bend. Others geared towards the Latin community. Then there is the happy talk “family radio” “Jesus loves you” as well as the ones featuring the insipid contemporary Christian music. Artists such as Michael W. Smith who is one of the most influential artists in the genre. I find myself yelling at the dashboard “Where’s the freakin Staple singers? The Edwin Hawkins singers? Gospel Aretha? Gospel Elvis? Early Sam Cooke? Jesus era Dylan?” When I’m in my own vehicle I stick with the local college radio station that plays a diverse mix of music from Americana to rock and folk. I’ll also listen to Sirius/XM: Deep tracks, Little Steven’s underground as well as Willie’s Roadhouse and Outlaw country.
The Comedian I owned an assembled-in-Brazil ‘03 Golf GTI from new until ‘09 (traded in on a C30 R-Design).First few years were relatively trouble free, but the last few years are what drove me to buy a scan tool (back when they were expensive) and carry tools and spare parts at all times.Constant electrical problems (sensors & coil packs), ugly shedding “soft” plastic trim, glovebox door fell off, fuel filters oddly lasted only about a year at a time, one-then-the-other window detached from the lift mechanism and crashed inside the door, and the final reason I traded it was the transmission went south.20 years on? This thing should only be owned by someone with good shoes, lots of tools, a lift and a masochistic streak.
Terry I like the bigger size and hefty weight of the CX90 and I almost never use even the backseat. The average family is less than 4 people.The vehicle crash safety couldn't be better. The only complaints are the clumsy clutch transmission and the turbocharger.
MaintenanceCosts Plug in iPhone with 200 GB of music, choose the desired genre playlist, and hit shuffle.
MaintenanceCosts Golf with a good body and a dying engine. Somewhere out there there is a dubber who desperately wants to swap a junkyard VR6 into this and STANCE BRO it.